Power line communication (PLC), also called mains communication, power line transmission (PLT), broadband power line (BPL), power band or power line networking (PLN), is a term describing several different systems for using power distribution wires or power lines for simultaneous distribution of data. A carrier can communicate voice and data by superimposing an analogue signal over the standard 50 Hz or 60 Hz alternating current (AC). For indoor applications PLC equipment can use household electrical power wiring as a transmission medium.
In order to increase the bandwidth of PLC systems it has been proposed to use multiple-input-multiple output schemes (MIMO) which are known from wireless communication systems. In general, household power line networks include at least three different wires or lines that are named “phase”, “neutral”, and “protective earth”. In MIMO schemes, data is transmitted via those wires by transmitting differential signals on different combination of the wires, e.g. between phase and neutral (PN), phase and protective earth (PE), and/or neutral and protective earth (NE).
Since MIMO PLC might influence reception of radio broadcasts or amateur radio broadcast, it is intended to define levels of MIMO feeding in the future.
Therefore, there is a need to provide a power line communications modem, a power line communications system and a power line communications method that allow data transmission with a high throughput while taking into account regulatory limits in order to avoid disturbances.
The object is solved by a power line communications modem, a power line communications system and a power line communication method as defined in the appended claims. Further embodiments are defined in the dependent claims, respectively.
Details of the invention will become more apparent from the following description of embodiments in connection with the accompanying drawings.